Joel Klatt Names Top Prospect for 2027 NFL Draft - and It's Not Arch Manning

With the 2026 NFL draft in the books, focus has shifted to what is expected to be an absolutely loaded 2027 draft.

Way-too-early mock drafts are flooding everyone's X feed right now, and there may be more early buzz for next year's draft class than any class in recent memory.

The top 10 is expected to be chock full of Day 1 starters, and Joel Klatt of Fox Sports revealed who he thinks the five best players are in next year's draft.

Most analysts believe Texas quarterback Arch Manning will be the consensus top pick, but Klatt doesn't think Manning even belongs in the top three right now.

Klatt ranked Manning fourth among his top five LSU offensive tackle Jordan Seaton taking the fifth spot, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore taking the third spot, Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore No. 2, and Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith as the clear-cut favorite to go No. 1 overall.

"[Smith will] be the No. 1 prospect on everyone's board," Klatt stated. "The only reason he wouldn't go No. 1 next year would be quarterback need at the top, and we'll see where those quarterbacks go. [He's] 6-3, 223 pounds, he's lit up college football since the moment he stepped on the field, he's got over 2,500 yards and 29 total touchdowns in just 29 games - he's an absolute monster. The last time a wide receiver went in the top three of the draft was 2007 - it was Calvin Johnson."

When it comes to Manning, Klatt doesn't seem as sold as some other analysts or scouts. But he seems open to changing his mind if Manning shows out next season - his second as the Longhorns' starter.

"He reminds me a little bit of - not in his production yet - but maybe like a poor man's Andrew Luck," Klatt stated. "He can throw it downfield, he's big, and he's way faster and more mobile than you would anticipate. I know that he didn't have a great year (in 2024), and certainly that first start against Ohio State didn't go the way that he wanted.

"I know they didn't run the football nearly as effective as they needed to for a first-year quarterback. They certainly didn't protect him very well, but he can make the throws down the field - and, guys, he's a Manning. Like, let's not overthink this."

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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 11:16 AM.